Athletes

Congratulations to all CSU’s students and alumni who have represented Australia at Olympics and Commonwealth Games events. We work with our student athletes to help them find the right balance between sporting commitments and their studies through our Elite Athlete program. After graduation, we still follow the achievements of our alumni as they continue working towards their sporting and professional goals.

CSU athlete profiles

Ed Jenkins

Ed Jenkins

Current skipper Ed Jenkins is the most-capped Australian men's sevens player of all time. Jenkins was a member of Australia's last two Cup-winning sides in London 2010 and Tokyo 2012. Ed has played at both Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, winning silver and bronze medals respectively. He was also captain of the Australian team at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
In January 2018, Ed announced his retirement from rugby, due to a shoulder injury.

Alicia Quirk

Home town: Wagga WaggaDegree: B. Physiotherapy - 2016

Games attended: 2016 Rio Olympics

Women’s Rugby Sevens

Alicia Quirk

Former Australian Touch Football player, ‘Quirky’ took up Rugby Sevens just three years ago and is now a key member and one of the fittest player in the Australian women’s team. As part of the gold-medal winning women’s sevens team at Rio 2016, Alicia played every minute of every game throughout the Olympic campaign.

Kurt Fearnley OAM

Three-time Paralympic gold medallist and five-time Paralympian, Kurt also had the honour of being co-captain of 2016 Rio Australian Paralympic Team. In between his training and competing commitments, Kurt is a high school PE teacher and Pro Chancellor of Charles Sturt University Northern.
Following his Silver and Bronze in Rio 2016, Kurt now holds a record 13 Paralympic Games medals.

Nicole Beck

Home town: BulliDegree: B. Educational Studies

Games attended: 2016 Rio Olympics

Rugby Sevens - Women

Nicole Beck

Nicole is a master at time management as a mum, university student and professional women’s rugby sevens player. Nicole was part of the gold medal-winning women’s rugby sevens team at Rio 2016 Olympics. She returned to the sport in 2017 during the AoN Uni 7s series, after taking time off for the birth of her second child. Nicole has stepped away from the sevens program in 2018, ending one of the most glittering of careers.

Lyndal Oatley

Home town: SydneyDegree: B. Business - Graduated 2006

Games attended: 2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio Olympics

Equestrian – Dressage

Lyndal Oatley

Based in Europe, Lyndal is an Australian equestrian dressage competitor who made her Olympic debut in London in 2012. She decided to pursue dressage after watching her cousin Kristy Oatley compete at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Growing up with horses, Lyndal began competing show horses and was twice named Australian Champion and subsequently nominated for the Young Australian of the Year. Lyndal competed at her second Olympics Games in Rio in 2016, placing 9th in the team event and 36th in the individual event.

Kaarle McCulloch

Home town: CampbelltownDegree: B. Education (Health and PE)

Games attended: 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, 2012 London Olympics

Cycling - Track

Kaarle McCulloch

A former national middle distance runner, Kaarle didn’t switch to cycling until she was 17 years old. Since then, Kaarle has been world champion, won gold and silver at Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, and Bronze at London 2012 Olympics. Finishing second in the team sprint at 2017 World Championships.

Laura Peel

On the Aerial Skiing World Cup circuit since 2011, Laura Peel won her first World Cup in Austria in 2015. The former gymnast made her Olympic debut at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, placing seventh in the women's Aerials. Laura is currently preparing for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, and is considered an Australian medal favourite following her 2018 World Cup bronze medal.

Amanda Spratt

Home town: PenrithDegree: University Certificate in Business - 2008

Games attended: 2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio Olympics

Cycling - Road Team

Amanda Spratt

Amanda Spratt made her Olympic debut at the London 2012 Games. After winning her second national title to start 2016, along with the Cadel Evans Road Race, Spratt got another shot at Olympic glory in Rio 2016. Amanda spends nine months of the year living and racing in Europe, and continues to study while training and competing.

Phil Bellingham

A strong start to 2017 has cross country skier Phil Bellingham on track to compete at his second Olympic Games at PyeongChang 2018. Having made his Olympic debut in Sochi 2014, Bellingham now has his sights set on bettering his best Olympic result of 55th in the individual sprint.

Ben St Lawrence

Ben St Lawrence

Watching from the stands as his contemporaries raced at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Victoria was enough inspiration for Ben to get back into running after a long hiatus. Ben competed in the 10,000m race at Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. He is the current Australian and Oceanian record holder in the 10,000m.

Tyler Lovell

Home town: PerthDegree: Graduate Certificate in Commerce

Games attended: 2018 Commonwealth Games

Hockey - Men

Tyler Lovell

Tyler Lovell played alongside his twin brother Mathew at their local Perth hockey club from the age of five. At club level, Tyler plays for YMCC in Perth, and Ranchi Rays in Indian Hockey League, and made his debut for the Kookaburras in 2013. After travelling to Rio 2016 as a shadow team member, Tyler has been a regular fixture as goalkeeper in the 2017 Australian Kookaburras squad.

Karri McMahon

Home town: Berri (SA)Degree: B. Clinical Practice (Paramedics)

Games attended: 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, 2016 Rio Olympics

Hockey - Women

Karri McMahon

Karri picked up her first hockey stick at six years old; however it wasn’t until she was 15 that she truly found her love for Hockey. In 2016 she made her Olympic debut in Rio alongside a number of other debutants in the women’s side, with the Hockeyroos finishing in 6th place. Karri was part of the gold medal-winning team at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.